Former Newcastle United stars Kieron Dyer and Titus Bramble have slammed government attempts to impose the 'Rooney Rule' on English football.
The Ipswich Town coaches, back at the Championship side where they once played looking to progress in coaching, believe they should be judged on their merits, not their skin colour.
The Rooney Rule is a practice in which every NFL franchise is required to shortlist and interview at least one black or ethnic minority coach when looking for a new head coach.
Bramble, a former England defender and now Ipswich Under 11 coach, told The Telegraph: "At the moment, I think the Rooney Rule is a disgrace.
"I think it's disgraceful that someone might be shortlisted for the job just because of their skin colour.
"You could say it's just as bad being given a job because of your skin colour as it is not being given a job."
Dyer, another former England player who made a name for himself at Newcastle, also strongly believes the Rooney Rule wouldn't work here, despite it being a relative success in America.
He said: "I want to be interviewed because the chairman wants to interview me.
"I don't want to be interviewed because it's filling a quota. I don't want to be on a shortlist because football clubs are told I have to be because I'm black.
"I don't agree with the Rooney Rule either. That's me personally, it doesn't mean it hasn't worked in America, but I don't like the idea here."
